Gun toting rabbis
The New York Post has a feature about gun-toting rabbis who are preparing for the high holidays. Let's go to the videotape and then I'll be back with more.The Post adds.
Moscowitz said few people took him seriously until May, when the FBI busted homegrown Muslim terrorists for allegedly plotting to blow up synagogues in The Bronx.Moscowitz has a point. Here in Israel, the security forces know how to distinguish a Jew from an Arab in seconds (so do most Israelis - I'm not as good at it as the natives are). In most of Europe, the synagogues have armed guards year-round and you cannot even get close to a synagogue with a car (London may be an exception). But I've never seen guards at a synagogue in the US and I wonder how many American police officers could be taken in by an Arab saying 'Good Shabbos' or 'Good Yom Tov.'
Since then, he said, his phone has been ringing off the hook and he created a 100-hour course for synagogue self-defense.
Moscowitz said NYPD officers aren't qualified to guard synagogues because they don't know members of the congregation.
"A terrorist could put a yarmulke on, say, 'Happy holidays,' and blow the place up," he said.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the rabbi had been fired in the early 1990s from the force, but didn't know details. Asked about Moscowitz's criticism of the NYPD, Browne opted for a biblical-like statement.
"Blessed are the tight of lip," he said,
I hope I'm wrong, because I suspect that only a small number of synagogues will be part of Moscowitz's program. But who knows?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:01 PM
4 Comments:
I have gone to the president of our schul and advocated this very thing...
and told "thanks but no thanks"
I live in Maryland, but not in Baltimore. Our shul has hired guards frequently. On the High Holidays we will be met at the door by shul volunteers and a police guard. The volunteers will have a list of members in case they don't recognize the once a year Jews. A lot of greeting goes on so we can pretend the volunteers are there to officially welcome us instead of to make sure we aren't terrorists.
almost every shul, synagogue and temple in los angeles has guards during the yom tovim
most shtibuls dont
and if this is based on that faux terrorist plot from last year (everyone involved was a clown, and they had neither the means nor the ability to carry anything out) then this is plain paranoia
but all shuls should have security during these times
and every jew in europe should leave now
Moskowitz is, shall we say, an imbalanced "egoz". There's a reason he was let go from the NYPD. Do not give him any responsibility in your shul. Warnings are appropriate here with no concern for LH.
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